Eight campus leaders with résumés that bulge with prestigious University positions, academic accolades and distinguishing internships progressed to the next round in the undergraduate Young Trustee selection process Wednesday night.
The Young Trustee Nominating Committee, composed of 16 members from major campus organizations, halved the pool of 16 applicants in this first part of the appointment process. The committee will reduce the eight applicants to three Jan. 31. After a joint vote of the Duke Student Government Senate and the nominating committee, the young trustee will be selected Feb. 16. The undergraduate Young Trustee is appointed to serve on the Duke University Board of Trustees for three years.
Sophomore Joel Kliksberg, chair of the nominating committee and DSG vice president of community interaction, said he felt the new online application procedure attracted more attention from students who might not have previously considered the position, but ultimately many students decided not to apply after viewing the application procedures. In addition to submitting a résumé, applicants were also required to answer six essay questions. The committee originally ranked applicants without knowledge of candidates’ identities, using the responses they submitted for five of their essays. After the first ranking, the remainder of the candidates’ applications were reviewed.
Kliksberg said the committee will most likely make its next round of cuts based on the ability of candidates in the interview round “to stand out in a board room.” He described the following candidates, all seniors, as “extremely qualified.”
• Mary Ellison Baars is a student co-director of the Community Service Center and executive vice president of the Panhellenic Association. Baars, a political science and women’s studies double major, founded and was president of Duke Students for Dole. Baars is a member of Dukes and Duchesses, a tour guide and a Baldwin Scholars mentor. She is active in the Chapel Choir, the FAC program and the Duke Annual Fund.
• Former president of the Duke University Union, Jonathan Bigelow chaired the student advisory board for the Nasher Museum of Art, worked for the Office of Information Technology and is active in Round Table selective living group and the Chapel Choir. He is a classical studies major with minors in English and German.
• Former university editor for The Chronicle, Andrew Collins is a history and public policy studies major with a French minor. He serves as a columnist, senior editor and film editor for The Chronicle, vice president of public relations for Duke Democrats and a resident assistant. He was president of Duke For Kerry.
• Pasha Majdi, current DSG president, is a public policy studies and philosophy double major. Majdi, who currently serves as a member on three Board of Trustees committees, was a Campus Council officer for two years and East Campus Council president. He is a member of Maxwell House selective living group.
• David Strauss, an emergency medical technician for Durham County, teaches EMT classes at Durham Technical Community College and directs Duke Emergency Medical Services. The chemistry major and economics minor, who is also earning a certificate in health policy, worked on the mental health magazine Active Minds. Strauss is part of Wayne Manor selective living group.
• Two-year Campus Council president Anthony Vitarelli is a public policy and economics major. He is Phi Beta Kappa, a Truman scholar, chief student marshall and an Eagle Scout. Vitarelli founded the University Greening Initiative and is vice president of moot court. He has also been on the Board of Trustees Students Affairs Committee for two years. Vitarelli is a member of Wayne Manor selective living group.
• Triathlete Ryan Welsh is an English major and philosophy minor. He is a performer in and financial manager of Duke University Improv. Welsh has co-chaired the First-Year Advisory Council, coached swimming at Durham Academy, tutored at George Watts Elementary School and was president of the Self Knowledge Symposium. Welsh has performed on and off campus as a part of Duke Players, Hoof n’ Horn and Manbites Dog Theater.
• Andrew Wisnewski is DSG executive vice president. Wisnewski also served DSG as vice president of community interaction. He is majoring in public policy studies and obtaining a markets and management certificate. Wisnewski has been a member of the Student Organization Finance Committee, the Catholic student center and on the Commu
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.